Theater-curtain-operating means.



PATENTED PEB. 2a, 1905.

E. G. NICEWANER. THEATER CURTAIN OPERATING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. B. 1904.

PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

E. G. NIGEWANER. THEATER CURTAIN OPERATING MEANS.

APPLIUATION FILED FEB. 6. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WLM/wouw Z no. vease?.

ltlrtiris Patented February Q6, vilii.

EDWIN (i. NlCEVVANER, UE PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSlbrNOlt OF UNE-HALF TO ALEXANDER REED, UE NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,58*?, dated February 28. 1905.

To all whom '[115 11m/U cm1/cern:

Beit known that I, EDWIN G'. NIornvANnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Theater-CurtainUperating Means, of which the followingl a specification.

rlhis invention relates more particularly to means for lowering the asbestos or other iireproof curtain of a theater to cut off connnunil cation between the stage and body of the house; and the object is to provide means which may be immediately thrown into operation when an emergency requires it, said means auto' n'latically and positively lowering' the curtain to the floor of the stage, thereby avoiding' any chance of its binding or sticking, as may occur with curtains which descend simply under their own weight.

The preferred embodiment ofthe invention is illustrated in the accompanying' drawings; but it will be understood that changes may be made in the construction shown without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure i is a sectional view through a portion of a stage, showing' the proscenium arch, the curtain, and the means ,for lowering said curtain. Eig. 2 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the lower corners of the curtain. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the motor preferably employed. Fig. ft isa sectional view through a theater, showing the controlling means for the motor located at different places therein.

Similar reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in all the iignres of the draw ings.

',lhe stage, as usual, includes the floor, (des ignated 4h) over the front of which extends the prosceniuln-arch '.lhe lireproof cnrtain is shown at (i, said curtain being suspended above and in rear of the arch and movable downwardly across the same to the floor of the stage. rlhe curtain is of sufficient width to overlap the sides of the arch and may be elevated by any suitable nieansv-as,

for instance, wrapped upon a. roller 7, to which is attached a handlefcranl; 8 for revolvingI the roller, and thereby elevating the curtain.

Suitabl y supported, preferably beneath the central portion of the stage-floor a, is a motor 9, that may be of any type desired, but is preferably a rotary hydraulic motor. rllhis motor has a discharge l0, which may be connected to a sewer or other desirable wastereceiving receptacle. An inlet-pipe lOL for furnishing the l'notive-supply fluid connects with this nlotor and in turn is crmnected with various conduits il and i2. rlibeconduits il extend to opposite sides of the stage and in rear of the prosceniuni-arch are provided with upstanding elbow portions i3, containing controlling-valves 14. lhe pipes i2 are extended to various parts of the theater-was, :for instance, the balconies, boX-oiiice, or other desirable points-\vl1ere they are provided with suitable con trolling-valves jl2,all' of said pipes being connected with a body of fluid under pressure, preferably, perhaps, water, as the pipes and various connections arenot as subject to fire and are usually located in places more protected against the same. A drum 'l5 is associated with the motor 9 and includes a clutch '16, constituting a detachable connection between said drum and motor. The drinn may be disconnected from the motor by suit able means was, for instance, a lever 17 and is normally and antonuttically connected through the medium of a springl le. Cables 19, attached to and capable of being wrapped upon the drinn l5, extend in opposite directions beneath the floor el, and pass above idlerpulleys 20, journallal beneath the floor in line with the opposite lower corners of the curtain G, which curtain is preferably rn'ovidcd with outstanding ears 2l. The cables if), passing about the pulleys 2i), extend upwardly in line with said cars and just behind the prosceni1unarch, their upper ends beinel connected with bolts 22, that are slidably passed through the ears 2l and are held elevated by suitable springs E23, coiled thereupon.

Under ordinary conditions it will beunderstood that the curtain is held elevated and inactive; but should a iire break forth upon the stage or in any part of the house anyone by operating' one of the valves will permit the passage of fluid through the conduit controlled thereby, which fluid passing' into the supplypipe l()SL will enter the motor and set the same in operation. As already described, the drum is normally clutched to the motor, and consequently said drum will be thrown into operation, wrapping thereupon the cables 19 and positively drawing' the curtain downwardly across the arch to the floor of the stag'e. This movement will be accomplished without reg'ard to the friction of the curtain against the arch or other elements, and when it has descended to its lowest position the motor will simply become stalled. In order, however, to prevent too great shock to the parts, the coiled springs 23 are employed, which thus offer a yielding resistance to the pull of the cables. After the curtain has been lowered and it is desired to raise it again the drum may be unclutched from the motor and the curtain elevated by means of the handle-crank 8 or any other suitable mechanism. rlhus it will be seen that the objects mentioned in the preliminary7 portion of the specification are obtained, and while the apparatus has been shown and described in great detail it will be understood that numerous chang'es may be made without departing from the` spirit of the invention as set forth in the claims hereto appended.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. rlhe combination with a curtain, of means for raising' the curtain, and a motor having a draft connection with the curtain for positively vdrawing the same downwardly.

2. The combination with acurtain, of means for raising the curtain, and a motor having' draft connections with the opposite lower end portions of the curtain for positively drawing the same downwardly.

3. The combination with a stage and proscenium-arch, of a curtain movable downwardly across the front of the stag'e and overlapping' the opposite sides of the arch, a motor, and draft-cables connecting the motor and the opposite lower end portions of the curtain for positively drawing said curtain downwardly.

4. The combination with a stage including a floor and proscenium-arch, of a curtain movable downwardly across the front of the stage and overlapping the opposite sides of the arch,

ra motor located beneath the floor and having a drum, cables connecting' the drum andthe opposite lower end portions of the curtain for lowering' said curtain, and means for controlling' the movement of the motor.

5. The combination with a stage including' a door and proscenium-arch, of a curtain movable downwardly across the front of the stage and overlapping the opposite sides of the arch, a motor located beneath the fioor and having a drum, cz bles connecting the drum and the opposite lower end portions of the curtain for lowering' said curtain, and means for controlling the movement of the motor, said means being located on the stage on opposite sides of the arch.

6. The combination with a stage including a fioor and a proscenium-arch, of a curtain suspended above the arch and movable downwardly across the same, said curtain overlapping the sides of thc arch, a fluid-motor, means for conveying' fluid to the motor, a plurality of independently-movable controlling devices for said fluid-motor, a drum having a connection with the motor, and cables connected to the opposite lower corners of the curtain and wrapped upon said drum.

7. The combination with a stage including' a floor and a proscenium-arch, of a curtain suspended above the arch and movable downwardly across the saine, means for elevating the curtain, a fluid-motor located beneath the Hoor and having' a discharge, independent supply-conduits leading' to the motor, independent controlling devices constituting parts of said conduits, cables secured to the opposite lower corners of the curtain and extending downwardly in rear of the arch, pulleys liournaled in line with said corners of the curtain, said cables passing about the pulleys, and a drum having' a connection with the motor, said cables being wrapped upon the drum.

8. The combination withastage and proscenium-arch, of a curtain movable downwardly across the front of the stage and overlapping' the opposite sides of the arch, a motor, cables connected to the motor, and yielding connections between the cables and the curtain.

9. The combination with a stage and proscenium-arch, of a curtain movable downwardly across the front of the stage and overlapping the side edges of the arch, a motor, a drum havinga detachable connection with the motor, andcables connecting' the drum and the curtain, said cables extending upwardly alongside and in rear of the proscenium-arch.

10. The combination with a stage and prosceniuln-arch, of a curtain movable downwardly across the front of the stage and overlapping' the sides of thc arch, a motor, a drum having detachable connections with the motor, 'a spring for normally holding the drum in connection with the motor, and cables connecting the drum and curtain.

l1. The combination with a theater having an auditorium and a stage, of a curtain for separating the stage and auditorium, a motor having a connection with the curtain for positively lowering the same, and separate devices located at ditferent points about the theater for controlling' the operation of the motor.

l2. The combination with a theater having' IIO mi auditorium :ind a stage, of u curtain 'For sep fu'zitiug the stage zuid the auditoiium, a motoi1 hfiving' a connection with the oui-tain for poeitively lowering' the same, and Separate devices located ou the stage and throughout the audi toiium 'loi Controlling the operation of the motor.

in testimony that 1". claim the foregoing :Le my own I have hereto :iiiixed my signature in Athe presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN G. NlCEi/VANER. Witnesses:

DAVID DINES, WILLIAM SP1-moult. 

